To cancel?

[OdeToAutumn]

We have booked to visit my very close family over Christmas. Not seen them for 2.5 years.

We had booked for Easter but it was cancelled, so I rebooked for Christmas. After we booked I found out I was pregnant.

When we fly I will be 33 weeks and when we come home I will be just over 35 weeks pregnant.

We were still all set to go, but given the new restrictions I think we should cancel. Country we are visiting has very low Covid numbers, is unlikely to close its borders (but you never know), very high vaccination rates and still has restrictive measures in place.

My worry is should anything happen, I am going to be getting close to the cut off point for flying when pregnant. Husband and I have had both jabs and booster but still leaves a chance of one of us testing positive and having to isolate abroad.

I am about to hit cancel, I would lose one hotel booking, cost of our insurance cover and would not get money for flights but would get vouchers. We have two kids, one is very understanding, the other is younger and a bit disappointed.

I guess what I am asking is, am I being unreasonable to cancel? Would you do the same in my position? I think I just need reassurance I’m making the right choice. My husband would cancel if it was solely his choice but he knows how much I want to see my family.

Thanks

Are you allowed to fly that far along? I'm not sure of the rules. I'd definitely cancel more so because I couldn't stand the thought of flying and all it entails when I was that pregnant, but I did have a difficult pregnancy!

I would cancel. Aren’t you just on the insurance threshold for being allowed to fly anyway? I used to travel a lot for work and I remember I wasn’t allowed to fly beyond 30 weeks because I couldn’t get insured.

I am allowed to fly up to end of 36 weeks with a letter from midwife or doctor. It needs to say my due date, no complications, that it’s one baby.

I think it differs airline to airline but we are flying BA and this is their policy.

I'd cancel. The repercussions of being caught away from home for the remainder of pregnancy, give birth in a different place, have a newborn to get to know abroad and then wait to fly home with a newborn, while being hosted by people who are probably delighted to see you for 2 weeks but not for 4 months... Way too much.

If you catch anything and have to isolate you will miss your 36 week window for flying

I would absolutely cancel, no doubt about it.

I would cancel even without the pandemic due to the risk of baby coming early or complications abroad.

Can you use the flight vouchers for your family to come to you instead?

I would cancel. Any chance you could flip the tickets and get family over here instead?

I’d 100% cancel @OdeToAutumn 😓 Imagine being there and having to quarantine for whatever reason just before you come home? You could end up being too far along to fly home. It wouldn’t be worth the risk for me!
What about travelling the other way - is there any way of your family coming to you? If not at Christmas then after baby has arrived? Perhaps if cost is an issue you could consider using the vouchers from your flights to help with some of their costs?

I travelled at 33 weeks pre-covid but like you, would have reservations about doing it at the moment.

It's so disappointing for you and I really feel for you but like you said, getting stuck somewhere isn't worth the risk.

I have been abroad 4 times since The Pandemic started and each time we only went on the basis that getting stuck there wouldn’t be a huge problem
I think in your case it’s too risky

100% I would cancel. I would be worried sick if I went. I probably wouldn't go pre covid. You could easily test positive before flying home and then be stuck there.

Op speak to your travel insurance, explain that if you go and then need to isolate you'll miss the ability to return home as you'll be over 36 weeks. See if that allows you to claim for cancellation. Worth a go!

Thank you all. I do feel better hearing everyone say cancel. I’m disappointed but the way my husband put it was it’s a small risk but the repercussions are big. Whereas not going, there is a huge chance it would have all been ok, but the repercussions of that are just a bit of disappointment and a bit of money lost.

Family can’t come here as costs have gone up a lot since we booked and not all of them could get the time off work.

@ChangeChingyChange I’ve asked my insurers if my policy could be cancelled, but as it’s just outside the 14 day cooling off period, I’m sure they’ll say no. Will ask them about cover for the hotel booking but I suspect that as technically I can actually fly, they’ll say no.

@SaltySeaAir there is also that to consider - if I went, I’d probably spend at least the last week in a panic about what if we can’t get back.

Could you change the insurance to a 12 month one? Sometimes it isn’t that much more expensive and that will cover any travel you do manage in the next year.

I dont mean cancel the travel insurance policy I mean can you speak to them to make a claim for cancelling the holiday? So you don't lose your money on the basis you could be stranded abroad past 36 weeks with no way to get home?

I would also cancel

I would cancel, it is just too much stress and the potential impact of either an early labour or a covid travel delay are pretty big.

@ChangeChingyChange I knew what you meant, I was just saying that I’ve already contacted them to ask for my policy to be cancelled but I’m expecting them to say no to that.

I’ve looked at the policy itself and as I’d be changing my mind, it’s not covered. I could fly at 35 weeks and as that’s the current situation I don’t think they’d cover anything, but I will check.

Thank you all. I cancelled. I guess now the decision has been made I can start to plan what we do here for Christmas instead, and look forward to a holiday next year as vouchers have already been issued.

I called insurers, I can’t cancel policy and they said they also couldn’t help with claims as no one has tested positive or had to self isolate. Expedia tried to get me a refund but the hotel has said no. Everything else I have cancelled and asked for refunds so we shall see.

Now I need to find a Santa visit for my youngest as everything seems fully booked!